Hazardous materials found in Berkeley home prompts shelter-in-place order

A shelter-in-place order has been issued for a Berkeley neighborhood Monday morning following the discovery of hazardous materials inside a home, officials said.

According to Berkeley Police, a resident on the 800 block of Colusa Avenue in North Berkeley notified firefighters on Friday about several bottles of hazardous substances in their basement. Police said the bottles were consistent with chemicals found in old photography labs.

Among the materials found by firefighters included picric acid, which officials said is heat sensitive, volatile and toxic.

Police said residents of the home along with immediate neighbors were evacuated.

On Monday, the bomb squad and hazmat crews went to the home to remove the materials. Officials said a shelter-in-place order is in effect for a one-block radius near the intersection of Colusa and Tacoma avenues.

It was not immediately known when the order would be lifted.